Got up this morning to discover the car had a flat tire.  I have no idea why.  Perhaps it was the ghost of Celery past.  Anyway, after staring at the tire for several minutes and it not magically reverting to UNflat tire, Ben and I eventually decided to take action.  Ten minutes of helpful suggestions later, Ben asked if I might go in the house and make him some breakfast.  Things inexplicably clicked along fairly quickly after that. 

Anyway, Ben managed to change the tire and I took the car in to the tire place.   I sat there for an hour or so commiserating with the other tire store victims as one by one we awaited our ransom notes.  Thankfully my tire was repairable and soon I was on my way to pick up Rebekah from Grandmar and Grand Dad's house.  She's been there since Saturday, spending time w/ Gregg's folks.  She makes this visit once or twice per year.   When I arrived Grandmar and Grand Dad looked sort of desperate and glassy eyed and I noticed Grand Dad had his hearing aide turned down (or maybe off).    Rebekah's bags were packed and in the hallway.

I now sit here at Chic Fil A waiting for 7 p.m. when I can go home.  Home.  Hoooommmme. 

Soooo..... if I accidently put a turkey in the pasture, how long do you think it will take Gregg to realize there's a funny looking chicken out there?  I could always get Rebekah to disquise it with Barbie clothes....

So Thursday was another adventure with Grammie.   Cane waving, rogue scootie chairs, barnacles (don't ask), "I just made it yesterday!" Vegetable(?) Soup (run away! run away!) and lots, lots more.  I definitely need to write about it when I have more time.

Friday was difficult.  Things tend to eventually catch up with me and apparently yesterday was one of those days.  My tipping point.  Anyway, went to bed at 7:30 p.m. and slept twelve hours.   I'M BETTER NOW!  LOL!

Spent the morning taking care of the animals, moving pens, sorting chicks, pulling new ones from the 'bator and into the brooder, and just sitting and watching everyone.  It is my happy place.  Mary the goat was loose and followed me around the yard while I did my chores.  Love that silly goat.  She has no clue she's a goat, btw, and still paws at my leg to get me to pick her up.  Not kidding.

Mary

Tried my best to sort out some hens to sell.  It is SO HARD for me to give them up.  But, I need the money so I guess it will be some of the Cuckoo Marans and maybe a Blue Orpington hen or two.  Looks like Barb is interested so I guess I'll call her.

I also have three Lavender Orpington cockerels that I need to sell.  Beautiful, but I only need one.  If they don't sell, yes, I will butcher them.  It is crazy for me to put money into these chickens and then GIVE them to someone else for them to eat when I can't afford my own groceries.  It is something I need to learn how to get past and just do. 

In the mean time, I have 29 Cuckoo Maran and a couple of Splash Orpington chicks for sale.  $6 each.  Come and get 'em!

So I was talking about this on facebook and thought I'd bring it over here.  It seems since I've started blogging I've gotten some folks e-mailing me re the murder of "Poor Celery" ...as he has come to be known.  (He's only had about eight names now I think.)  Anyway, word is out.  I can't even find refuge in Wal-Mart.  I ran into a fellow chicken person there just today who couldn't believe I'd "done it."  ~Sigh~  Even my sister is fussing at me.  He wasn't a pet!  Really!  Good (chicken) gravy.  I had no idea "Celery" had so many fans.  Funny, I don't recall anyone occupying my yard droning SAVE SAVE THE THE CELERY CELERY!!

Will I do it again?  Yes, I have to say I likely will.  My apologies to the folks who thought better of me.  And, no, the cat (who really is a pet) is not next on my list.  Even though his name is Crabcake... ~cough~  WHAT?!  ;0)

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So, this afternoon Rebekah and I brought the Maran chicks in so I could get some pictures and, well... one thing lead to another and... LOL!

Yup.  That's one of ours.  She's for sale, btw.  Dress not included. 

Cuckoo Maran pullet peeps in the brooder.  Ameraucana, Silver Spangled Hamburg, and Silkies beginning to pip. (As Crabcake the cat sits with anticipatory delight atop the 'bator.)  Blue Black and Splash Orpingtons hatching next week.  LOTS of peeps waiting to pop! 

Splash Orpington Hen "Dot"

Some of her chicks hatching this month.

Meanwhile I'm getting grief from my sister re Walks With Celery's untimely demise and the 4-H club is plotting Petting Zoo's to raise money for the upcoming show.

Lizzie called.   Said they had a foot of snow, no electricity, and canceled classes at her college today.  You know, she really didn't seem all that sad about it.  :0)  She also wanted to make sure Celery was no one she knew....

Oh!  And my phone!  I can't believe it but it still works!  I could have raised GOLDFISH in that thing yesterday and today... Dry and working.  I put it in a bag full of  uncooked rice and ta-DAH!  Dry as a bone!  Woot!

Drove to Bluefield today to visit LizzieBeth. So great to see her sweet face. Doctor, Wal-Mart , supper , then to the hotel. Lizzie had homework so I headed to the pool w/ my trusty floatie, anticipating the serenity of bob bob bobbing about in quiet bliss. And then I opened the door.

Apparently the hotel is hosting a day care convention. Actually it was just a family with four boys. Four boys desperately in need of seriously large doses of Ritalin. Their mother gave me a weak smile as I waded in. She looked tired. I’m sure she was hoping the pool would wear them out before bed. Ha. I spent the next half hour clinging to the side corner surfing the waves, the father occasionally shouting to the children not to jump on me. When they finally left they ran screaming out the door with just as much enthusiasm as they’d had in the pool.

I was thrilled they were gone and finally relaxed and began to swim… which is when I noticed my cell phone. The cell phone I had conveniently placed in my swim suit top on the way down to the pool (yes, in that special pocket). Can you hear my heavy, heavy sigh…

Day TWO!  Hey! This is sort of fun!

To and from Grammies today.  Carried a bunch of stuff out of her basement.  Oh my gosh.  Can you say SPIDERS????!!!  I still have the creepy crawlies... and some serious jim jams, too, let me tell ya.  Yeee! 

Dropped off some chickens on the way down.   Six Ameraucana and two Cuckoo Maran pullets, plus three cockerels.  All eleven weeks old.  Should easily be laying by Memorial Day.  Speaking of which, one of them is on the cover of FLAVOR magazine.  

That's my chicken and my egg!  How cool is that?

Anyway, I was exceedingly happy to get home in time to cook "The Chicken." That's what we call him now.   Only "The Chicken."  It's sort of like his new Indian name.  In hindsight I guess we could have been more creative.  Maybe, "Walks With Celery."  Anyway, you get the idea.

So... I get home and my ORIGINAL idea was to have slow cooked him in my crock pot all day.  After all, this fellow has been out-running ... and knowing this rooster, possibly beating up, fox and coyotes for at least a year.  But... Ben really wanted me to roast it,  and so, against better judgement, I did.  I have no words to adequately describe what a bad decision this was.  Tough doesn't even come close to depicting the unyielding flesh of this bird.    Carving it... CARVING it?  I hacked at it for upwards of twenty minutes using my entire arsenal of kitchen knives, eventually mutilating it just enough to get it on a serving plate.  

And now that we all have TMJ, the new rule is... chickens over six months old get cooked in the CROCK POT. 

Well, here I am.  My first "blog."   What to say, what to say.

Well.... I butchered one of my chickens today.  That was a milestone.   Yes, it was fairly traumatic but... I do feel good about it. (And I'm sure that just makes allllll the difference to the chicken.  ~cough~). Anyway, as my friend Lee mentioned, it gives you a sense of accomplishment that you are putting food on the table for your family.  Exactly.

And, oh look.  Here he is in all his glory:

Tomorrow's Dinner 

And, yes, I knew his name.

Well, have to go to bed!  Heading to Grammies bright and early in the morning time.  I'm supposed to clean out her basement (Oh.  Hooray...).  Then we're off to her doctor, errands, and... delivering chickens!  I hope I get home in time to cook my chicken!